Poll: Is Halo 3 a Casual or Hardcore Game?

Halo 3 ODST hit stores on September 22, and while it's a sci-fi shooter for Xbox 360, big sales projections indicate that Microsoft's game is popular because it attracts both the 'hardcore' and the 'casual' gaming crowd. Therefore, some argue, Halo is actually a 'casual' game.

As for defining the word 'casual,' we're obviously not talking about the traditional casual games -- like Bejeweled and Hidden Object games that women ages 35+ spend hours playing every day; we're talking about younger males who might own a game system, but haven't put many miles on it, mostly due to the fact that they only play Halo and Madden.

Even so, we find it difficult to classify Halo as 'casual,' though it does seem like a great gateway game between the two worlds. The shooter possesses Hollywood-style production values and can be played cooperatively, giving newbies a chance to jump into the action with more experienced buddies. What do you think? Vote in the poll below.

We haven't been able to locate any browser-based shooters that come near to the Halo experience -- yet -- though we love killing time with this free Flash game, Warthog Launch, based on the popular gaming franchise.